The Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre has been operating Wâhkôhtowin Harm Reduction under an urgent need’s exemption for its overdose prevention since 2021.
However, in a Facebook post made on December 31st, the center announced they received a new exemption to operate as a supervised consumption site (SCS) under the guidelines laid out by Health Canada.
That makes it the City of Regina’s first and only supervised consumption site.
The Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre shared over social media, “Supervised consumption sites have been proven to save lives and benefit communities. Our supervised consumption site offers a range of evidence-based harm reduction services, such as drug checking.”
The site now becomes one of two supervised consumption sites in the province, the other being offered by Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon.
Independent organizations seeking to operate an SCS are required to apply to Health Canada for an exemption from the Federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
While the provincial government’s approval is not a requirement to operate the facility, the Saskatchewan government has taken a hard stance in the past against ‘drug consumption sites’.
In a statement to Global News, the Government of Saskatchewan stated, “No illicit drugs are safe, and there is no safe use of illicit drugs.”
“Our focus is on getting people the treatment and rehabilitation that they need to overcome addictions and live healthy, safe lives in recovery. By helping people overcome addictions and by supporting recovery, we can save lives, heal families, and strengthen our communities,” the statement read.
Global News was unable to reach the Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre for comment.